Canada Cup, Encore and More in my Golfing Youth

Golf balls back in the ’70’s were less sophisticated than they are today. If you played that surlyn Titleist DT you were impressing others. A Top Flite you say? No thanks, that was known as the “rock” with long drives but no hold on the greens. Your hands hurt in cold weather when you struck those fellas. Canada Cup, Kro-Flite, Encore? Did you go to Canadian Tire Wayne for the purchase? Spalding built the doozers. Ahhh…status lines were crossed with golfing chums. Then there was the true determinant on whether you had game. Play a balata golf ball. The top grade ball with a thin cover. You certainly like the soft balata’s for control around the green. However, cringing began when you hit the limp fade into the bunker. Now…don’t skull it…don’t skull it. Then you do thin it and Guy Smiley looks back at you when bending down to see your mistake. Ball out of play with that big cut. Back to the Canada Cup you go or maybe a tired Titleist. The balata taught you to hit the ball well and savour quality. And that is maybe why you carried a ball scoop in your bag (don’t see this tool much anymore). You hoped you could fish one out from the creek on No. 1, 2 or 18 at Craigowan GC. As long as you avoided that darned snapping turtle. I miss my youth with inferior balls and simpler days.